Its only been just over a year since the first subtext 12" by vex'd 'pop pop/canyon' dropped into range with a neck snapping kick/snare and bass wobble combo that sent heads either running for cover or shouting from the rooftops. With a succession of 12"s and tracks on labels like destructive and planet mu now under his belt, vex'd has found time to deliver a defining moment in the development of the genre loosely termed dubstep or grime. Distilling the most essential elements of 15 years of hardcore/breakbeat research by players from 2 bad mice to Photek or Technical itch and a healthy respect for soundsystem culture into one cohesive collection of warped hardcore science for 2005 and beyond, vex'd has in a very short time carved out a niche for himself as a purveyor of the rawest and freshest sound currently wrecking heads and feet up and down the country, at once appealing to the disparate factions of drum and bass, breaks, grime and breakcore. Anyways, onto the music, first 1000 copies of the cd release come with a bonus disc of the aforementioned singles on planet-mu and subtext, ya don't want to get left behind! The 1st CD is entirely new material, kicking off with a V.I.P version of 'pop pop' with added bleeps and a reconfigured rollidge factor. The lights are cut for track 2 'thunder' with a haunting intro giving way to some half speed grime with distorted gabber kicks business, 'corridor' is a bleeping 2 step wobbler, Track 5, pure bassline pressure with horror strings lurking somewhere above. Vex'd's sense of spatial awareness for sounds and respect for simplicity works to perfect effect on tracks like 'crusher dub' and closer 'slime', a minimum of ingredients are used to create maximum pressure from sinewy snare led rhythms and cavernous bass space. Tracks like 'Gunman' and 'Lion' will no doubt appeal massively to the breaks and d'n'b heads, classic samples coupled with an uncanny knack for aggressive and up-to-date synth sounds and ruffneck riddims can't fail on any floor. Vex'd has realised a hardcore statement of intent, constructed from bare elements, and destined to become a classic. Mighty.